Share/tag this page

Salesforce.com Receives Employer of The Year Award from The Arc of San Francisco

Salesforce.com honored for commitment to the employment and successful integration of persons with developmental disabilities into the workplace and company life

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – August 24, 2004 – Salesforce.com (NYSE: CRM), the market and technology leader in on-demand customer relationship management (CRM), today announced that it has been named Employer of the Year in The Arc of San Francisco 2004 Work/Life Awards. The award honors salesforce.com's involvement in hiring, training and maintaining the employment of persons with development disabilities. As the 2004 Employer of the Year, salesforce.com has successfully integrated The Arc clients into the workplace and provided them full inclusion into company life.

The Arc of San Francisco is a non-profit organization whose mission is to serve people with development disabilities by providing them the opportunity to work, live and recreate in their community. The organization provides a full range of services that advance clients' independence, dignity and quality of life. More than 600 adults with developmental disabilities participate in The Arc programs including job training and placement, residential services, community training, leisure and recreation for seniors and various social activities and outings.

The Arc of San Francisco established the Work/Life Awards in 2002 to celebrate the workplace achievements of its clients and acknowledge the businesses that employ them. Past award include Jamba Juice, Lowes Cineplex Entertainment, Safeway, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, The Courtyard Marriott and Trader Joe's.

"I can't say enough about the employees who come to us through The Arc San Francisco," said salesforce.com chairman and CEO Marc Benioff. "They are an integral part of our company culture – dedicated, hard-working, extremely competent at their jobs with a positive attitude that impacts everyone around them."

Salesforce.com initially approached The Arc of San Francisco on the recommendation of an employee who had an extremely positive experience with The Arc clients at a previous company. Impressed with the organization and its mission, salesforce.com brought three full-time employees on board in 2001.

As salesforce.com has expanded its workforce to keep pace with its rapid growth, it has hired additional employees from The Arc, while retaining the original staff. Five full-time employees now handle all of salesforce.com's daytime facilities services requirements, from preparing conference rooms to stocking and cleaning the company kitchen, interacting with employees on a consistent basis. One of the first hires, Dwight Nacnac, will be recognized at tonight's Work/Life Awards ceremony for completing three years of service to salesforce.com.

"For many of our clients, steady employment is the single most important factor for achieving independence, confidence and self esteem," says The Arc of San Francisco Executive Director Patricia Kemerling. "Salesforce.com has done an exemplary job of acknowledging our clients as an important asset and integrating them into company life. Our clients have responded in kind: Dwight has never missed a day of work in his three years at salesforce.com. This kind of relationship perfectly demonstrates the value of our employment program for all parties, and we are very pleased to honor salesforce.com as our 2004 Employer of the Year."

The Employer of The Year Award will be presented tonight at The Arc's third annual Work/Life Awards Night ceremony. Other honorees include Hanson Bridgett LLP (Innovation Award), Cala Foods (Newcomer Award), St. Anthony's Foundation (Career Development Award) and Wells Fargo Bank (Leadership Award). San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom will be present to honor all the outstanding award recipients.

Mayor Newsom will also announce the kick off of the citywide "100 Jobs Campaign." Sponsored by salesforce.com, the campaign aims to place 100 clients of The Arc of San Francisco in 100 days and includes partnerships with other non-profit agencies to provide job referrals. Salesforce.com employee volunteers will play a key role in the effort, speaking to prospective employers about The Arc experience.

About The ARC of San Francisco

The ARC of San Francisco is dedicated to helping adults with developmental disabilities live and work independently, and has several programs in place to help adults with developmental disabilities achieve their full potential as equal members of society. The ARC's Adult Vocational Program offers packaging, assembly, and direct mailing services. For more information please visit www.thearcsanfrancisco.org.

About The ARC of San Francisco

The ARC of San Francisco is dedicated to helping adults with developmental disabilities live and work independently, and has several programs in place to help adults with developmental disabilities achieve their full potential as equal members of society. The ARC's Adult Vocational Program offers packaging, assembly, and direct mailing services. For more information please visit www.thearcsanfrancisco.org.